• What are concepts that students regularly struggle with that a series of technology-infused lessons might improve understanding?
My students struggle with learning characters. This is what I have tried:
1. There are a few free websites that demonstrate how to write characters, and I use that as a whole-class demonstration. I also post the links on blackboard and a few students do use them at home. It is hard for them to find the characters we are studying because the sites just contain lists of characters. It would be more useful if there were sets of characters for each lesson of the text we are using.
2. I also have them type part of the text (in Chinese) from the book. It does help them pay more attention to what the characters look like. Next, I have them write a sentence or two about themselves using vocabulary from the lesson. 现在我在打汉字.
• What units do you teach that a technology-infused, project-based, assessment would increase student engagement and learning?
I think I could use the computers everyday if I had access to 20 computers each period. Some examples:
There are web-based lessons that tie into the themes of the text that give additional practice.
There are sites where they can record themselves talking, such as Audacity and Voicethread.
They can produce PhotoStories in Chinese.
Another new possibility is iPad. The new Chinese apps developed for iPad look promising as a way to assist students in learning to recognize and write characters.
• What new instructional strategies are you developing as a teacher? How could technology be incorporated into your work with this strategy?
1. Differentiation - The Voicethread lessons I have created allow differentiation. Questions are recorded for each photo that vary in the complexity and degree of difficulty. Students can then be assigned a photo to work with that is appropriate for their level. Students are able to replay the questions as needed.
2. Collaborative Learning - I have been applying specific collaborative learning strategies that I learned while attending NECTFL. Two are team-based review games: ZUT and Four Heads Together, and one is a peer teaching stragegy. I have not adapted these to use with technology.
3. Increasing opportunities for input & oral practice - Voicethread and Skype. Voicethread allows them to replay and edit their responses. Skype would allow direct interaction with other Chinese students.
My students struggle with learning characters. This is what I have tried:
1. There are a few free websites that demonstrate how to write characters, and I use that as a whole-class demonstration. I also post the links on blackboard and a few students do use them at home. It is hard for them to find the characters we are studying because the sites just contain lists of characters. It would be more useful if there were sets of characters for each lesson of the text we are using.
2. I also have them type part of the text (in Chinese) from the book. It does help them pay more attention to what the characters look like. Next, I have them write a sentence or two about themselves using vocabulary from the lesson. 现在我在打汉字.
• What units do you teach that a technology-infused, project-based, assessment would increase student engagement and learning?
I think I could use the computers everyday if I had access to 20 computers each period. Some examples:
Another new possibility is iPad. The new Chinese apps developed for iPad look promising as a way to assist students in learning to recognize and write characters.
• What new instructional strategies are you developing as a teacher? How could technology be incorporated into your work with this strategy?
1. Differentiation - The Voicethread lessons I have created allow differentiation. Questions are recorded for each photo that vary in the complexity and degree of difficulty. Students can then be assigned a photo to work with that is appropriate for their level. Students are able to replay the questions as needed.
2. Collaborative Learning - I have been applying specific collaborative learning strategies that I learned while attending NECTFL. Two are team-based review games: ZUT and Four Heads Together, and one is a peer teaching stragegy. I have not adapted these to use with technology.
3. Increasing opportunities for input & oral practice - Voicethread and Skype. Voicethread allows them to replay and edit their responses. Skype would allow direct interaction with other Chinese students.